Post-mortem Northampton

[Leyton388]

£5 million + on Konchesky and £2.5 million on Brad Jones is evidence enough for me

Wow so thats £7.5m that could have gone towards a striker?

[BigChief]

You're right... we shouldn't have even bothered entering it. We aren't going to win the FA Cup or the league either.

Correct, so lets get our knickers and bras back on and start thinking where we're headed this season. Torres/Gerrard to stay injury free and go for that 4th spot. We can do it (as long as we keep the garbage that played today out of the way - Lucas/Spearing/Babel/Jovanovic - yes I know he scored.)

[Mattshark]

Rafa had 5 years by my book and only once came even close to winning the league, and even then we never looked like winning it after throwing it away.

I think overall he did okay in the league, but he was hardly fantastic and went three years without winning a major trophy. If you then push out a vital squad member and end up 7th and crashing out of the CL group stages you have to accept you are at risk.

Personally I'd have loved him to have been backed with money after he came 2nd and maybe we'd be talking about something different. But it is what it is.

Rafa didn't have the budget to build a team that could challenge ever season.

[BigChief]

Wow so thats £7.5m that could have gone towards a striker?

Sh*t!! And Silva and Villa were available as well this summer.

Bummer!

[anfieldanfield]

I want Rafa back.

Rafa had his stab. And ultimately, it didn't work.

[peekay]

Well that was an undefensible performance by the players and the manager and I think at this point it might be better to turn that anger against Hicks. We still have a club to save.

Of course my patience towards Roy might turn into anger if we end up getting around 4 points in the next four games in the PL.

[DannyMan2006]

Rafa didn't have the budget to build a team that could challenge ever season.

Alright, is 7th place acceptable then?

[Buzzo]

[Mattshark]

Alright, is 7th place acceptable then?

Did I say that?

[Neil Young]

Rafa had his stab. And ultimately, it didn't work.

My point is he's been replaced with someone I think is inferior.

[Craig_H]

Cole's overrated, Meireles maybe good

Being honest Neil, would you use those same descriptions if Rafa had signed them?

And furthermore, if Cole's overrated and Meireles maybe good (but may be not), the shining light is that they werent a useless £20m Italian or an appallingly poor £19m Irishman.

Obviously time will tell, but i'm pretty sure they'll both prove to be excellent acquisitions and, for a combined £11.5m outlay, excellent value for money.

[Slinky Skills]

So far he's rebuilded with Jones, Konchesky and Poulsen. There's only going to be more mediocrity on the way.

Of which none have been given a proper shot yet, I'm sure you can appreciate that. Jones, first game tonight, Konchesky, played two games only. Poulson; played only a few games as he's not been fit. A Danish International who's played for some decent clubs, namely Juventus and AC Milan.

What about Meireles, Cole. You've forgotten about them too, really decent creative players.

Give him so time bud, I know you're upset but don't let being down cloud your judgment.

[Lecter]

Correct, so lets get our knickers and bras back on and start thinking where we're headed this season. Torres/Gerrard to stay injury free and go for that 4th spot. We can do it (as long as we keep the garbage that played today out of the way - Lucas/Spearing/Babel/Jovanovic - yes I know he scored.)

We have more chance of getting Rafa back than we do of getting 4th

Seriously I would be surprised if Hodsgon finished higher than Rafa did last season

[DannyMan2006]

Wow so thats £7.5m that could have gone towards a striker?

Correct. But then if Reina gets injured what happens? and we've already seen the problems a lack of LB' can do for the club.

[Leyton388]

Forget 4th at this rate top ten looks doubtful